Flower profile
Early purple milkvetch
Astragalus shortianus
Early purple milkvetch is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as native in the lower 48 states. In Colorado it's most often seen in bloom in April–June.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Colorado
Quick look
Astragalus shortianus, the early purple milkvetch, is a species of flowering plant in the family Fabaceae. It is native to the west-central United States; Wyoming, Colorado, Nebraska, and New Mexico. A perennial flowering from April through July, it is found growing in dry, rocky soils at elevations from 5,200 to 9,000 ft.
- It belongs to the Fabaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as native in the lower 48 states and records it in 4 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as native to Colorado. NatureServe
- In Colorado, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–June. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,788 research-grade sightings of it in Colorado, ranking #92 among the 110 flowers on our Colorado list. iNaturalist
Early purple milkvetch gift ideas
Handmade early purple milkvetch gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Early purple milkvetch art print
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Early purple milkvetch greeting card
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Early purple milkvetch mug
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Early purple milkvetch earrings
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Early purple milkvetch embroidery pattern
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Early purple milkvetch sticker
When does it bloom?
In Colorado, most flowering sightings come in April–June.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- G4 Apparently secure worldwide. NatureServe
- Colorado
- No list Colorado has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Colorado ranks instead. NatureServe: S4, apparently secure in Colorado.
- Rare elsewhere
- Other states where NatureServe ranks it rare or missing: NE (S1). (S1 critically imperiled, S2 imperiled, SH possibly extirpated, SX presumed extirpated.)
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.
ASPCA's entry “Loco Weed (Astragalus spp.)” (Astragalus spp), which covers the whole genus, lists it as toxic to horses. Signs include: Incoordination, depression, inability to eat and drink, fetal death and birth defects Credit: Image Courtesy of Gary Coffman, PBase.com Gallery… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records early purple milkvetch in 4 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Colorado, Nebraska, New Mexico, Wyoming.
Colorado counties with USDA records: Boulder, Delta, Douglas, El Paso, Elbert, Gilpin, Grand, Jefferson, Larimer, Las Animas, Otero, Park.
More Colorado flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile ASSH3.
- iNaturalist, Astragalus shortianus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Astragalus shortianus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Colorado: Colorado noxious weed lists A, B and C (8 CCR 1206-2, eff. May 15, 2025).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Astragalus shortianus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: ASPCA.
- Photo: Anders Hastings via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.